A man was caught attempting to cook two chickens in a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. He was banned from the park for two years and was required to pay a fine of $1,200.
According to a park spokeswoman, a group of 10 hikers, including a child, were found climbing toward the Shoshone Geyser Basin with cooking pots.
Reports alerted park rangers about this group, and they found two chickens in a burlap sack in a hot spring.
According to East Idaho News, rangers issued citations for foot travel in thermal areas to a man from Idaho Falls and two more people from the group.
The Idaho man (whose identity was not revealed) was also ordered to show up at the Mammoth Hot Springs court.
The man pleaded guilty to the charge and for violating use limits and closures.
He will serve two years of probation and must pay a $1,200 fine. He is also banned from visiting the park, which includes areas ranging from Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
Not The First Time…
This is not the first time that a park visitor was caught attempting to cook in the hot spring and was fined and placed on probation for the act.
In 2001, the host of KING-TV’s “Evening Magazine”, John Curley, and his producer aired themselves cooking chicken with the heat from one of the Yellowstone geysers.
They dug a hole in the park to see how natural heat could cook a chicken. The show was charged for disturbing the mineral deposits and stepping off the trail.
They were allegedly fined $150 and were placed on 2 years of probation.
According to the Napa Valley Register, the show apologized for its actions and called the stunt “just plain dumb”.
The website of the National Park Service clearly states that visitors and hikers should only follow the trails and boardwalks in thermal areas. They are not allowed to throw or put anything into any thermal outlets.
The website stated, “Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature. Keep your children close and don’t let them run”.